Tennessee's Jake Kendro enters NCAA transfer portal
After spending his true freshman season on Rocky Top, Tennessee reserve shortstop Jake Kendro has entered the NCAA transfer portal, sources have told Volquest.
The North Huntingdon, Pa. native played in 24 games for Tennessee in 2023, making seven starts. He finished with a .215 batting average, notching seven hits over 32 at-bats with one home run and six RBI.
Kendro is a middle infielder but also made appearances at first and third base in 2023. The freshman logged critical starts against Vanderbilt and Arkansas in Southeastern Conference play. As a high school prospect, the infielder was considered the No. 22 player out of the state of Pennsylvania by Perfect Game.
The transfer portal window is officially closed for undergraduate athletes after being open for 45 days, starting May 30. The Vols have lost 14 players to the transfer portal as Jaslove and Kyle Booker, along with Austen Jaslove (who entered this week) join a list that includes pitchers Chase Burns, Jake Fitzgibbons, Hollis Fanning, Jacob Bimbi, Shawn Scott, Turner Swistak, outfielder Alex Stanwich, infielders Logan Chambers and Tanner Zellem and catchers Ryan Miller and Payton Ebbing.
Last offseason, Tennessee was active in the transfer portal by adding key components to the roster who would go on to compete in the College World Series. Those players included shortstop Maui Ahuna, third baseman Zane Denton, outfielder Griffin Merritt and pitcher Andrew Lindsey.
Tennessee has added six players from the transfer portal thus far into the 2023 cycle with pitchers AJ Causey and Nate Snead, infielders Ryan Galanie (who will sign with the White Sox) and Billy Amick, along with catchers Dalton Bargo and Cannon Peebles.